Interlock apparatus



Sen 17, 1946.

-INTERLOCK APPARATUS Filed fJuly 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYsept. 17, 1946.

FORWARD 57 1 `92 Filed July 3o, 1942 J. N. GOOD INTERLOCK APPARATUS 2lSherets-Shee1l 2.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 17, 1946 INTERLOCK APPARATUS John N. Good,Wihnerding, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company,Wihnerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 30,1942, Serial No. 452,950

Claims.

This invention relates to interlock apparatus and more particularly tomeans for preventing undesired operation of control elements.

In certain ships a plurality of Diesel engines, operative eith'er singlyor in multiple, are employed for driving a propeller. These engines areof the reversible type for either lturning the propeller in onedirection to move the ship forward or in the opposite direction formoving the ship in an astern direction. The speed or power output of theengines is varied in accordance with the amount of fuel supplied to theengines and a clutch is employed for connecting and disconnecting each'engine to and from the propeller.

When al1 of the engines are operating to turn th'e propeller in the samedirection, they may all be connected to the propeller, if desired, forpropelling the ship in the direction determined by the engines. Attimes, however, one or more engines operating toturn the propeller inone direction will be connected to the propeller while the other engineor engines will be operating in a direction which if connected to thepropeller would cause the propeller to turn in the opposite directionand, as will be apparent, it would be undesirable to connect the latterto the propeller under this condition since it might result in dam ageto the engines or parts of the transmission system between the enginesand propeller.

One object of the invention is therefore the provision of means arrangedto prevent engines running in directions which would cause a commonmeans to be operated to turn in opposite directions from being connectedat the same tim to said means. l

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for preventingthe engines being connected with the propeller when operating at a speedabove a certain low degree, such as idling.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a control system fora plurality of engines arranged to operate a common means, embodying foreach engine, arnanual controller for controlling the starting of theengine in either one direction or the reverse direction, and forcontrolling a clutch for connecting and disconnecting the engine to andfrom said meansand also embodying means for preventing the operatio ofsaid clutch to connect said engine to said means when the engine isoperating above a chosen low speed or when the means is being operatedby another engine operating above said chosen low speed, and furtherembodying means for preventing operation of said controller to connectits engine running in one direction to said means when said means isconnected to another engine operating to turn said means in the reversedirection.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following moredetailed description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is :a diagrammatic view of acontrol system for a plurality of engines embodying the invention; Fig.2' is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is asectional view taken on the line S-S in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectionalview taken on the line li-t in Fig. 2; and Figs. 5 and 6 are viewssimilar to Fig. 4 but with certain parts shown in different positions.

Description lIn the drawings, the reference numerals I and 2 indicatetwo internal combustion engines which may be of the Diesel type, andboth of which are arranged to be connected to operate a common propellershaft 3 through the medium of suitable clutches il and 5, respectively,and a device 6 containing suitable gearing (not shown).

The clutches 4 and 5 may be of any desired type arranged for operationby fluid under pressure supplied thereto to connect the respectiveengine to the propeller shaft 3 and to disconnect said engine from thepropelle1` shaft upon the release of such iluid under pressure.

Associated with engine I is a pneumatic starting control device 'Iarranged to be conditioned by uid under pressure supplied through a pipe8 to provide for operation of said engine in one direction and through apipe 9 to provide for operation oi said engine in the reverse direction.

A fuel supply device I is associated With engine l and embodies anadjustable member II for varying the fuel supply to and thereby thespeed or power output of said engine. For adjusting the member il it maybe connected to one end of a lever I2 which is fulcrumed intermediateits ends. The opposite end of lever I 2 may be connected to a piston I3contained in a cylinder Id and Subject on one side to the pressure of `acalibrated spring I5. At the Opposite side of piston I3 is a pressurechamber i6 connected to a pipe II through which fluid under pressure maybe supplied to and released from said chamber for adjusting the positionof piston I3 in cylinder I4 and thereby the position of the fuelgoverning member I I in accordance with' the pressure of such fluid.With chamber I6 at substantially atmospheric pressure spring I5 willurge the piston I3 to the position shown which may be assumed to beidling position to provide for operation of the engine at a chosen lowor idling speed. When the piston I3 is moved in its cylinder by uidpressure supplied to chamber I3 to a position, for instance,substantially midway of the length of the cylinder I4, it may be assumedthat the fuel supply member I| will be positioned to provide for maximumspeed or power output of the engine I. Intermediate positions of thepiston I3, dependent upon the pressure of fluid in chamber I6, willtherefore provide corresponding intermediate degrees of speed or poweroutput of engine I. A p

Associated with engine 2 is a pneumatic starting control device I8 likethe device 1 but controlled by fluid under pressure from pipes I9 and23. The engine 2 has a fuel governing device 2| embodying a member 22adjustable by. a.

lever 23 in accordance with the position of a piston 24 in a cylinder 25as determined by the pressure of -a spring 25 acting on one side of thepiston and the opposing pressure of fluid supplied through a pipe 21 toa pressure chamber 28 to act on the opposite side of said piston. Thepiston 24 may have a position such as shown to provide for operation ofthe engine at idling speed and other positions depending upon thepressure of fiuid in chamber 28 to provide corresponding speeds ordegrees of power output as described in connection with piston i3associated with engine I.

Avmanually adjustable control device 33 of any suitable type is providedfor controlling the pressure of fluid in pressure chambers I6 and 28 andthereby the adjustment of pistons I3 and 24 and the speed or poweroutput of engines I and 2, respectively. To accomplish this end thedevice 35 is connected to a pipe 3| which is arranged to be openedthro-ugh cutoff valve devices 32 and 33 to pipes i1 and 21 leading tothe pressure chambers I and 28, respectively. With the pressureAchambers I5 and 28 thus connected to the control device 35 said deviceis operative to either open both of said chambers t0 the atmosphere toprovide for operation of engines I and 2 at their idling speeds or tosupply fluid at any desired pressure from a fluid pressure supply pipe34 to both of said chambers to cause operation of said engines at e,chosen higher speed or degree of power output.

' The cutoffvalve device 32 is provided to render the engine Inon-responsive to an increase in uid pressure provided in. pipe 3| byoperation of control valve device 33, if itis desired that the engine bedisconnected from the propeller shaft 3 and be operating at idlingspeed, while the engine 2 is operating said shaft to DIOpel the Craft ata speed determined by operation of the control valve device 3o. Thecuton valve device 33 is Y provided to accomplish the same result, withrespect to engine 2.

Both of the cutoff valve devices 33 and 32 may be of the sameconstruction, each comprising a `double beat valveV 35 having oneposition for opening communication between pipe 3| and the respectivepipe I1 or 21 and another position for closing such communication andopening the latter pipe I1 or 21 to atmosphere. .A spring 36 in eachcutoff valve device is operative to move the double beat valve 35 to theposition for connecting pipe 3| to pipe I1 'or 21, while anelectromagnet 31 is arranged for operation upon energization to move thedouble beat valve to its other position for closing communicationbetween pipel CLT 4 3| and pipe I1 or 21 and opening the latter toatmosphere.

The electromagnets 31 of the cutoff 4valve devices 32 and 33 arearranged to be energized by electric current from any suitable sourcesuch as a battery 38, A manually operative switch 39 is provided in thecircuit to magnet31of the cutoff valve device 32, while a correspondingswitch 49 is provided in the circuit to the magnet of the .cuto valvedevice 33. Closing these switches is arranged to eect energization ofthe respective electro-magnets while opening the switches is arranged toeffect deenergization of said magnets. With the magnets deenergized, itwill therefore be seen that the engines I and 2 will operate inaccordance with operation of the manual control device 33, and'that withthe magnetsenergized the engines will be non-responsive to operation ofthe control device 30 and will operate only at idling speed. Theseswitches and the cutoi valve devices 32 and 33 are therefore effectiveto cut out either one engine or the other, as desired.

According to the invention I provide a manual control device forcontrolling thestarting control device'1 and the clutch 4 for engineThis manual control device also embodies means controlled from pipe 3|for preventing operation of clutch 4 to connect engine I to thepropeller shaft 3 with either engine operating above a chosen low speed,such as idling. A' similar manual control device 46 is provided forcontrolling the starting control device I8 and clutch 5 for engine 2 andis also provided with means controlled from the speed control pipe 3|for preventing engagement of clutch 5 with either engine operating abovea chosen low speed, such as Vidlingl Means are also provided forpreventing operation of both of the manually control devicesk 45 and 45toconnect both engines I and 2 to the propeller at the same time whenthe engines are operating in directions which would cause Ythe propellerto turn in opposite directions.

The control device 45 comprisesa casing having Atwo spaced alignedbearings 43 ar1d`50 in which a rock shaft 5| is journaled, A cage 52interposed between and bearing against the adjacent ends of bearings 49and 50 has aligned openings through which the shaft 5| extends. Betweenthe bearings 49 and 50 the shaft 5| has a slot 53 extendingdiametrically therethrough and the cage 52 has van aligned slot 54. Anoperating` member 55 of substantial disk form is disposed in slot 53 andextends into slot v54 and is journaled rat its axis on a pin 56. The pin5B'is arranged at right angles to the axis of shaft 5| and is carried insuitable bores in said shaft at opposite sides of slot 53 and in theadjacent portions of cage 52. The thickness of the operating member 55isless thanv the width of slots 53 and 54 only suiiciently to providefree rocking Amovement about the pin 56. The cage 52 being secured toshaft 5| by pin 5I against endwise movement.

The operating member 55 is formed on one end of a lever 51 and from theabove description it will be seen that the pin 56 provides Vfor rockingof said lever and member on said pinrelative to the rock shaft 5| lengthof said shaft, while said rock shaft promember at right angles theoperating member dition providing an operating connection between saidlever and shaft for turning the shaft with the lever.

56 holds the rof'zkrshaftV inthe direction of the A starting controlvalve device 82 is provided in the casing at one side of rock shaft 5lbeyond the adjacent end of pin 56. This device comprises a verticallymovable plunger 83 (Fig. 3) and valve means (not shown) operable upondownward movement of said plunger to supply fluid under pressure fromthesupply pipe 34 to the starter control pipe 9 for actuating the startercontrol device 1 to provide for starting of the engine in one direction.It may be assumed that with the engine l operating in this direction thepropeller shaft 3 when connected to said engine will cause movement ofthe ship in a forward direction. Movement of the plunger 83 in an upwarddirection as viewed in Fig. 3 is arranged to allow release of fluidunder pressure from the starter control pipe 9 to provide for stoppingof the engine or for starting of the engine in the opposite direction,as will be later described.

For controlling the plunger 83 one end of a lever 84 bears against theplunger. This lever is supported on a pin 85 secured in the casing whilethe opposite end is provided with a roller 85 arranged to contact a camsurface 81 provided on the cage 52 above one end of pin 55 and adjacentthe top of operating member 55. Movement of the member 51 toward thelefthand as seen in Fig. 3 or upward as viewed in Fig. 1, to a positionbearing the legend forward is arranged to operate cam 81 and thereby thelever 84 to move the plunger 53 in a downward direction for supplyingfluid under pressure to the starter control pipe 5, while movement ofsaid lever back to its normal position shown is arranged to provide formovement of the plunger 83 in the reverse direction for releasing fluidunder pressure from pipe 9.

At the opposite side of shaft 5| and beyond the opposite end of pin 55is a starting control valve device 88 which may be identical to thedevice 82 and which comprises a plunger 89 operable upon downwardmovement to supply fluid under pressure from the supply pipe 34 t0 pipe8 leading to the starter control device 1 to provide for operation ofsaid device to cause starting of the engine l in the direction of thereverse of that attained by the supply of fluid under pressure to pipe5, or in a direction to'cause movement of the ship in an astern'direction when connected to the propellerl shaft 3, as indicated by thelegend astern in Figs. 1 and 3.

A lever 58 like lever 84 is arranged for controlling movement. ofplunger 89, and the cage 52 is provided with a cam 8| opposite the cam81 for operating the lever 95. By this construction movement of theoperating lever 51 downward as viewed in Fig. 1 or in the direction ofthe right-hand, as viewed in Fig. 3, will aotuate the valve device 85 tocause starting of the engine in the direction to provide for asternmovement of the ship, while return of the lever 51 to-the neutralposition shown will provide for operation of the valve device 88 torelease fluid under pressure from pipe 8 in order to effect stopping orreversal of the engine.

A more detailed description of the structure and operation of the valvedevices 82 and 88 is not deemed essential since devices of this type areWell known to those skilled in the art.

The top wall 9| of the casing of the control valve device 45 is providedwith a relatively long slot 82 extending at right angles to the axis ofrock shaft 5|. This slot provides for movement of the lever 51 `toeither forward position or astern position for actuating the startercontrol valve devices 82 and 88 respectively for starting the engine Iin either one direction or in the reverse direction as above described,and to the neutralv position for stopping the engine. It 'will be seenthat this slot prevents movement of the lever 51 in any direction exceptfor operating the valve devices 82 or 88.

A clutch control device Si) is associated. with the casing bearing 58beyond the journaled end of shaft 5 I. This device comprises twooppositely seating poppet valves 6| and 52 arranged in coaxial relationwith rock shaft 5| and contained in chambers 53 and 64, respectively.These valves have fluted stems extending toward each other throughsuitable bores in the device and meeting in a chamber 65. The chamber 53is connected by a pipe E8 to the fluid pressure supply pipe 34 andcontains a spring 61 acting on the valve 6| for seating same and at thesame time unseating the valve 62. The chamber 55 is connected by a. pipe58 to the clutch 4 for engine l.

The chamber |54 is open through a passage 65 to the interior of thecasing and thus with the atmosphere through openings including slot 82.

The rock shaft 5| between the operating member 55 and valve 62 visprovided with an axial bore in which is slidably mounted aplunger 18.One end of this plunger engages the valve 82 while the other end isaligned forengagement by the peripheral surface of the operating member55 at one side of pin 55. The operating member 55 has in its peripheralsurface a recess 1| arranged to receive the adjacent end of plunger 18when the operating lever 51 is in the Avertical position shown in Figs.1 and 2. With the plunger 15 in recess 1| Spring 51 is operative to seatvalve 5i and open valve 52 to thereby connect the clutch control pipe 55to the atmosphere for effecting operation of the clutch 4 to disconnectthe engine i from the propeller shaft. Movement of the lever 51 fromthis vertical position in either a clockwise direction orcounterclocltwise directionfas viewed in Fig. 2, is adapted to turn theoperating member 55 t0 a position in which a portion at either one sideor the other of recess 1| is in engagement with the plunger l5 andduring such movement effect movement of the plunger 18 outward of shaft5| to seat valve 82 and unseat valve 8|. With the valve 6| thus openfluid under pressure will flovv from the supply pipe 3d to pipe 58 andthence to Aclutch 4 for eifecting operation thereof to connect theengine to the propeller shaft 3.

n order that the lever 51 may be operated as just described forcontrolling the operation of the clutch 4, the top wall 9| of the casingis provided with two oppositely extending slots 53 and 84 opening to theopposite sides of the slot 52 adjacent its opposite ends. It will beseen that since engagement of the clutch 4 is dependent upon movement ofthe lever 51 in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction fromthe position shown in Fig. 2 and thus out of the slot S2, the 'clutchWill be disengaged with the lever in the slot 92 and be engaged onlyupon movement into the slot 93 oi into the slot 94.

In use, let it be assumed that the lever 51 is in its neutral positionmidway between the ends of slot 92 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. lf it isnow i desired to start the engine in such a direction as t0 causeoperation of the propeller shaft 3 to move the ship forward the lever 51is moved in slot 92 to forward position for thereby operating thestarter control valve device 82 to cause the engine i to be started in adirection to obtain forward movement of the ship. After the engine isthus started, the lever 51 is drawn back from the end of slot 92 to aposition aligned with slot S3 and then moved into the latter slot foroperating the clutch control device 6D to supply fluid under pressure topipe 68 for actuating the clutch 4 to connect the engine I to thepropeller shaft 3, whereupon the engine will operate the propeller ofthe ship to cause movement of same in a forward direction. f

On the other hand, if it is desired that the ship move in an asterndirection, the lever 51 is moved eitherfrom its neutral position, orfrom forward position through its neutral position which causes stoppingof the engine, to its astern" position at the opposite end of slot 92 tothereby actuate the starter control valve device 88 to supply uid underpressure to pipe 8 for causing the engine I to be started in the reversedirection. The lever 51 may be then moved away'from the end of slot Q2into alignment with slot 94 and then into the latter slot for actuatingthe clutch control devicell to supply fluid under pressure to pipe 68for operating the clutch 4 to connect the engine to thepropeller shaft 3for causing movement of the ship in an astern direction.

It will be seen that with lever 51 in slot 92 the clutch control pipeSSwill be opened to atmosphere by way ofthe clutch'control device 60 toeffect operation of the clutch 4 to disconnect the engine I from'thepropeller shaft 3. Connecting the engine to the propeller shaft isobtained only upon movement of the lever into either slot 93 or slot 94.The slot 92 provides for starting of the engine in either one directionor the reverse direction before actuating the clutch 4 for connectingthe engine to the propeller shaft and also ensures disconnecting theengine from the propeller shaft before reversing the engine.

Within the housing a spring seat S6 mounted on lever rests on a shoulderS'I provided on the lever in substantial alignment with the upper end ofcage 52. A friction shoe I is slidably mounted on lever 51 between thespring seat 9S and inner surface 93 of the top wall of the casing. Acoil spring 99 under pressure encircles the lever 5l? and is supportedat one end on the spring seat 96 and bears at the opposite end againstthe friction vshoe lll@ for constantly urging said shoe against theinner surface 98 of the casing.

Theinner surface-98 lis substantially in the shape of an invertedv inthe direction of the length of slot 92 and in said surface adjacent eachof the opposite ends of said slot is a recess IDI arranged to receivethe shoe lll!) upon movement of the lever into alignment `with either ofthe slots t3 or 9G; With the shoe YIll!) engaging the surface 9&3 atanyV point between the two recesses ISI the force of the spring S9against said shoe is operative to automatically return the lever 51 toits neutral position shown in Fig. 3. When the shoe Il is in either ofthe recesses Il, the lever 5 1 is held against movement toward neutralpositie-n. By this arrangement it is necessary for the operator to movethe lever 51 substantially to either 4one end or the other of slot 92 inorder that the lever will not return to Yits neutral position shown uponremoval of manual force on the lever. This insures adequate movement ofthe lever to Acause starting of the engine in either one direction orthe opposite, as desired, and also provides for the lever being held inits clutch engaging positions in slots A93-or 94 due CII to interlockingof the friction shoe 'Iil Within the recesses IGI, and also due to thefact'that the surface S8 lengthwise of these recesses is arranged atsubstantial right angles to the normal or neutral position of lever 51in slot 92.

A clutch and speed interlock device 15Y is secured to the casing overthe oppositefend of rock shaft 5I. This device comprises a piston 1Shaving at one side a chamber 11 open to the speed or power outputcontrol pipe 3 I. Projecting from the opposite face of piston 16 is aplunger 18 Which slidably extends through a suitable axial bore in theadjacent Vend of shaft 5| into alignment with the peripheral surface ofthe operating member 55 directly opposite that engaged by the plunger10. The operating member 55 has a notch or recess 'I9 Yprovided in itsperiphery in such a position as to receive the end of plunger 18 Whenthelever 51 is in slot 92 in which the clutch 4 disconnects the engine Ifrom the propeller shaft. A coil spring ail encircling the plungern'ISbears at one end against the adjacent end of rock shaft 5I and theopposite end bears against Ypiston 16 in opposition to pressure of fluideifective in chamber As above described, the speed or output of engine Iis varied according to the pressure of fluid supplied to act in pipe 3|,and opening of said pipe to atmosphere provides for idling operationof-said engine. The pressure of springs S0 on piston 18 in the interlockdevice 175 is such as to movev said piston and plunger 18 to theposition shown when the pressure in pipe 3| and thereby chamber 'F1 isat a chosen low degree, or substantially that of the atmosphere ifdesired, and to permit the piston to move the plungerV 18 against theoperating member 55 when the pressure in saidrpipe is increased abovethat degree. Thus if engine I should be operating at a speed above thechosen low degree with the lever 51 in slot S2, the plunger 1B willenter recess 'I9 and prevent turning of member 55 and thus maintain theclutch 4 in the position disengaging engine I from the propeller shaft3. To rock the lever 51 in either direction from the clutch disengagingposition Vshown in Fig. 2 to cause operationof clutch 4 to connectengine I to the propeller shaft 3, the pressure in the speed controlpipe 3| and piston chamber 11 on the interlockpiston 16 must thereforebe reducedk to a degree which provides for operation of the engine atthe chosen reduced speed. When this occurs, spring 8|! will move thepiston 'I6 `and plunger 13 tothe position shown in Fig. 2 in which theplunger 18 is removed from notch '19. When this condition exists, thelever 5'! ,may be moved into either of th slots 93 or 94 foractuatingrthe clutch 4 to connect the engine to the propeller shaft 3.In other Words, the interlock valve device 'I5 controlled from the speedcontrol pipe 3| prevents the operator moving'ilever 51 into either ofthe slots S3 or 94 forV actuating theclutch 4 to connect the engine I tothe propeller shaft 3 when the engine is operating at a speed above achosen low degree.

The manual control device 46 may be identical to the manual controldevice t5 and like reference numerals have therefore been applied to themain corresponding portions of the control device 46. In Fig. 21it willbe seen that the clutch control device F56, interlock valve device 15,and operating member 55 are disposed in the control device 46 just thereverse of corresponding partsmin the control device 45 butthis in noVway changes the operation of the engine? 9 as controlled Aby thestarting control device l or of clutch in response to operation of lever51 in the control device`45 in slots 92, 53 and S4 which are identicalto corresponding slots providing for controlling movement of lever 51 inthe control device 45. The operator may, therefore, move lever 51 of thecontrol device 45 upward in slot 92 as viewed in Fig. l, to forwardposition for causing starting of the engine 2 in a direction to propelthe ship forward and then into the slot 02 for actuating clutch 5 toconnect the engine to the propeller shaft 3, or he may move said leverto the opposite end of slot 52 to astern position for causing startingof the engine 2 in a direction for moving the ship in an asterndirection and then move said lever into slot S4 for actuating the clutch5 to connect said engine to the propeller shaft 3, these operationsbeing the same as in the control device 45 and producing the sameresults with respect to engine 2. Moreoven movement of lever 51 of thecontrol device 45 to actuate clutch 5 to connect engine 2 to thepropeller is subject to control by the respective interlock device thesame as above described in connection with the control device 45.

If the operator desires to connect both engines l and 2 to the propellershaft 3 at the same time for driving the ship, he may move both levers51 in the` same direction to either one end or the opposite end of slotsS2 and then into either slots 93 or 94, respectively, as will beapparent.

However, if one engine is alreadyv connected tc the propeller shaft atthe time it is desired to connect the other engine to said shaft, theinterlock device 15 of the controller 45 or 45 controlling the latterengine requires that the pressure in the speed control pipe 3| be suchas to provide for idling operation not only of the respective engine, asabove described, but also of the other engine and thereby of thepropeller shaft 3, since said interlock device is controlled by the samepressure as controls the speed of the other engine. The interlock valvedevice thus precludes the possibility of connecting either engine to thepropeller shaft when said shaft is being driven by the other engineoperating at a speed above idling.

If one engine were operating in a direction to cause movement of thecraft. say forward, it would be undesirable to be able to connect theother engine operating in the reverse direction with the propeller shaft3 at the same time, for reasons before pointed out. This however isprevented by a link |05 having one end pivotally connected with a pin|05 depending from the operating member 55 in the control device 45. Theopposite end of link |05 has a slot |01 in which is disposed a pin |03like the pin |05 but depending from the operating member 55 of thecontrol device 4B.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the link |01 and the pins |06 and |08 are shown withthe two levers 51 and the slots 92, 93 and 94 of the two control devicesand 46 superimposed therein in dot and dash form in order to clearlybring out the function of said link and pins.

With the two levers 51 midway between the ends of the respective slots9.2 as shown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that the pin |08 associated withthe control device 46 is disposed intermediate the ends of slot |01 inthe link |05 so that either of the levers 51 may be moved to either oneend or the other of the respective slots 92 without interference fromthe link |05.

Let it be assumed however that inthe control device 45 the lever 51 isdisposed in 'slot 54, 'as shown in Fig. 5, to connect engine 'to thepropeller shaft for causing movement of theV ship in an asterndirection, as above described. Under this condition, the pin |05 in thecontrol device 45 will occupy a position such as shown in Fig. 5 and itsconnection with pin |08 will prevent movement of lever 51 in the controldevice 45 into its slot 53 since the latter pin |05 is in engagement orsubstantially so with the end of slot |01 in the link. It will, however,be seen that with the lever 51 of the control valve device 45 in slot04, the lever 51 in control device 4G may be moved to the opposite endof the slot 02 therein for starting the engine in the reverse direction,if such is desired.

rf 1ever 51 in the Control device 4e should be disposed in its slot 93the operator could move the lever 51 in the control device 45 to theopposite end of its slot 92 for starting of the engine 2 under whichcondition the link |05 will assume an angular position the reverse ofthat shown in Fig. 5 for preventing movement of lever 51 in the controldevice 46 into its slot 94. On the other hand, if lever 51 in thecontrol device 45 should be in its slot 94` as seen in Fig. 6, theinnerend of slot |01 in link |05 will substantially engage the pin |08and prevent movement of the lever 51 in the control device 45 into slot03. In case the lever 51 in the control device 46 should be in slot 93and the lever 5'1 of the control device 45 should be moved to theopposite end of its slot 52, the link |05 will assume a position thereverse of that shown in Fig. 6 and prevent movement of the latter lever51 into its slot 04. The link |05 thus provides for in tended operationof the control devices 45 or 46 either singly or jointly but preventsundesired operation thereof.

Summary It will now be seen that I have provided an arrangement wherebya plurality of reversible internal combustion engines operating to causemovement of a driven member in a certain direction may be connectedeither singly or collectively by individual manual control devices tooperate said driven member. These control deu vices also control thedirection which the engines are started and operate and thus thedirection which the driven member will move when connected to theengines. A simple mechanical interlock is provided between the con- 55trol devices to prevent connecting the driven member to an engine whichis operating in one direction when the driven member is alreadyconnected to another engine operating in the reverse direction.Moreover, the arrangement embodies means for preventing the operation ofa clutch to connect an engine to the driven member when that engine oranother engine connected to the driven member is operating at a speedabove a certain low speed, so as to thereby avoid damage to the clutch,engine, or other parts of the power system.

I-Iaving now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. InV combination, a casing, two independent lever members each havinga rst position in which both are arranged side by side, said levermembers being movable in opposite directions each to a second positionand being then further 75 movable in opposite directions each to a third1'1 position, interlock means connecting said lever members providingfor independent movement thereof to their rst and second position andmovement of either to its third position with the other in its first orsecond position, said interlock means being operative with either ofsaid lever members in its said third position to prevent movement of theother to its third position.

2. In combination, a casing having two slots arranged in parallelrelation, two oppositely extending openings one open to each of saidslots, two levers one extending through each of said slots, said levershaving first positions side by side in said slots, second positions atopposite ends of the respective slots, and third positions in therespective openings, a link having pivotal connections with said leversconstructed to provide such variations in the distance between theconnections with said levers as to allow movement of both'of said leversto their first and second positions at the same time, but to limit thedistance between said connections to a degree to prevent movement ofeither of said levers to its third position with the other in its thirdposition.

3. In combination, a casing, two different control devices in saidcasing, each control device comprising a rock shaft journaled in saidcasing, an operating member having a journal connection with said rockshaft at right angles to the axis of said shaft, a rst slot in saidcasing, a lever arranged at right angles to the axis of said rock shaftand extending through said slot and connected to said member, a secondslot arranged at right angles to said rst slot and open thereto toreceive said lever, said lever being operative in said rst slot uponmovement from a rst position adjacent one end to a second positionadjacent the opposite end to actuate said member to rock said rock shaftand upon movement from said first slot into said second slot to rocksaid member relative to said rock shaft, the corresponding slots in bothof the control devices extending in opposite directions with the end ofthe iirst named slot having said rstposition in one control deviceadjacent the like end of the rst named slot in the other control device,an interlock link, means connecting the opposite ends of said link tothe levers in said control devices, said link providing for freemovement of said levers relative to each other in the rst named slotsand being operative by either of said levers in its second named slot toprevent movement of the other lever into its second named slot.

4. In combination, a casing having two relatively long parallel slotsand two relatively short slots arranged at an angle to the long slotswith one open to each of said long slots, a lever arranged to move ineach of said long slots and into the respective short slots and havingdiierent operating positions at the ends of the slots, and a linkconnecting Ythe two levers providing for independent movement of thelevers in the respective long slots and operative to prevent movement ofeither lever into its short slot With the other lever disposed vin itsshort slot.

5. In combination, a casing having two parallel slots arranged sidebyside and having other slots arranged at an angle to said parallel slots,one'of said other slots being open to each of said parallel slotsadjacent each of its opposite ends; two independent control members insaid casing, one of said control members being provided for movement ineach of said parallel slots and into the connected angular slots, andinterlock means connecting said members providing for independentmovement of both of said members to opposite ends of the respectiveparallel slots and into the respective angular slots at like ends of theparallel slots, said interlockv means being operable by either of saidlevers when in the angular slot at either end of the respective parallelslot to prevent movement of the other lever into the angular slot at theopposite end of the respective parallel slot.

JOHN N. GOOD.

